VANCOUVER — Shannon Szabados made Melody Davidson look awfully smart Thursday and now hockey coaches across the country just might take their sweet time picking their starting goalie every game.

Davidson, the Canadian coach with a penchant for keeping quiet about who is minding the net for her each game, wouldn’t come clean publicly about Szabados getting the call against the archrival Americans in the Olympic gold-medal affair until game time.

It seemed to work as the Edmonton native was absurdly good, making 28 saves in leading Canada to a 2-0 win — and its third straight Olympic gold — before a crowd in excess of 16,000 at Canada Hockey Place.

“My teammates were unbelievable today,” said the 23-year-old stopper. “We played a great game and this is an incredible moment.”

Szabados’ best save may have come at 18:48 of the second period, when she flung her glove hand around behind her and knocked away at a Kelli Stack chance.

“It was unbelievable,” said forward Jayne Hefford. “I don’t know if it’s hit us yet. This year and the Olympics has been incredible.”

Szabados, the youngest of Canada’s three netminders, didn’t get a single minute of ice time at the IIHF world championship in April, as Davidson opted to go with veterans Kim St-Pierre and Charline Labonte. Canada lost the final there 4-1, although Labonte was named the tournament’s top goalie.

Davidson’s game plan gave Canada its eighth gold medal of these Games.

“It’s so special, I don’t know if it has sunk in yet,” said veteran Hayley Wickenheiser. “You grow up in Canada, you know the expectations.

“Just to win on home ice, the crowd, the family. . .”

Szabados wasn’t the only youngster shining for the home side Thursday.

Forward Marie-Philip Poulin, 18, had both goals for the winners.

There was talk heading in that — given the improvement in both the Canadians’ and Americans’ games — this could be the greatest women’s match ever. It was far from a how-to video technique wise, but it was an example of grit.

Canada killed off all five American power plays, including a lengthy pair of five-on-three advantages. The U.S. had come into the game with a man-advantage unit working at 59 per cent (13-of-22) in the tournament.

Jessie Vetter, who had backstopped the Americans to wins in the last two world championships, made 26 saves for the U.S.

“It’s unbelievable in front of fans, family and friends to win,” said defenceman Carla MacLeod. “We wanted this really bad.”

Canada got on the board at 13:55 of the first, just moments after killing off back-to-back penalties. Jennifer Botterill took the puck along the side boards and into the corner and found Poulin wide open in the slot for a one-timer. She beat Vetter high to the glove side.

They went up 2-0 at 16:50 of the first as Poulin jumped on a loose puck in front after winning a faceoff on a four-on-four situation.

The Canadians had a couple of chances to take a 3-0 lead, but Jayna Hefford missed an empty net at 7:16 of the third period and Vetter stoned Cherie Piper on a backhand in front of the net seven minutes later.

The Americans had a glorious chance to get on the board midway through the first frame, when penalties to Gina Kingsbury and Catherine Ward gave the U.S. a 40-second five-on-three advantage. The Canadians foiled it thanks in large part to a Hayley Wickenheiser blocked shot on a Lisa Chesson blast from the point, and a glove grab by Szabados on Caitlin Cahow.

They had their second lengthy, five-on-three advantage in the second period when Hefford, at 2:35, and Becky Kellar, at 2:58, took back-to-back delay of game penalties for shooting the puck over the glass. The Americans were stopped again, this time with help on shot blocks by Piper and Sarah Vaillancourt.

The Canadians looked disjointed and nervous early on. They had trouble getting open for passes, and, when they did manage to find some free space, pucks were fired into feet. They had two early power plays and mustered very little.

But all they really needed on this night was the play of Szabados.

“She stood tall for them and they did what they had to do,” said U.S. blue-liner Kerry Weiland. “All the credit to Canada.”